Neoregelia plant named ‘Mendoza’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Neoregelia  plant named ‘Mendoza’, characterized by its upright and outwardly arching growth habit; broad glossy green and pale yellow green variegated lower leaves; broad glossy green, pale yellow green and red purple variegated mid-plant leaves; broad glossy red purple-colored upper leaves; good interiorscape and landscape performance; and resistance to leaf spotting under hot and rainy conditions.

Botanical designation: Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia concentrica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘MENDOZA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia plant, botanically known as Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia concentrica, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Mendoza’.

The new Neoregelia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Princeton, Fla. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Neoregelia plants with uniquely colored leaves.

The new Neoregelia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in 2002 in Princeton, Fla. of an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia carolinae, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unnamed proprietary selection of Neoregelia concentrica, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Neoregelia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Princeton, Fla. in 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Neoregelia plant by offsets in a controlled environment in Princeton, Fla. since 2002, has shown that the unique features of this new Neoregelia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Neoregelia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mendoza’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Mendoza’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Neoregelia:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly arching growth habit.     -   2. Broad glossy green and pale yellow green variegated lower         leaves.     -   3. Broad glossy green, pale yellow green and red purple         variegated mid-plant leaves.     -   4. Broad glossy red purple-colored upper leaves.     -   5. Good interiorscape and landscape performance.     -   6. Resistant to leaf spotting under hot and rainy conditions.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia have broader leaves than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Lower leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia are green and         pale yellow green variegated whereas lower leaves of plants of         the female parent selection are red and green in color.     -   3. Upper leaves of plants of the new Neoregelia are red purple         in color whereas upper leaves of plants of the female parent         selection are orange red in color.

Plants of the new Neoregelia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in leaf color as plants of the male parent selection have solid pale green-colored leaves with black-colored concentric rings.

Plants of the new Neoregelia can be compared to plants of the Neoregelia ‘Raphael’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,719. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Princeton, Fla., plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Raphael’ differed primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Neoregelia and ‘Raphael’ differed in leaf         coloration.     -   2. Plants of the new Neoregelia were more resistant to leaf         spotting than plants of ‘Raphael’ during periods of hot and         rainy weather.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Neoregelia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Neoregelia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Mendoza’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Mendoza’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe flowering plants grown during the spring in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered greenhouse in Princeton, Fla. under commercial Neoregelia production practices. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 32° C., night temperatures ranged from 7° C. to 32° C. and light levels averaged 3,200 foot-candles. Plants were one year old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Neoregelia carolinae×Neoregelia     concentrica ‘Mendoza’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia carolinae, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Neoregelia concentrica, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By offsets.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 30 days at 30° C. to             32° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 45 days at 30° C. to             32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three to             four months at 30° C. to 32° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About three to             five months at 18° C. to 22° C.         -   Root description.—Medium to fine in thickness, fibrous;             yellow to tan in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Upright and outwardly arching             growth habit; rosette leaves are erect when young, becoming             outwardly arching with development; plants readily produce             uniform offsets; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 26 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 47 cm.         -   Internode length.—About 3 mm.         -   Stem texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Stem color.—Close to NN155A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Rosette, spiral phyllotaxis; simple; sessile,             clasping.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate; spinose.         -   Length.—About 31 cm.         -   Width, mid-section.—About 6.7 cm.         -   Width, base.—About 11 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous; leathery; longitudinally ribbed.         -   Luster.—Glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Parallel.         -   Color.—Lower leaves, upper surface: Centers, close to 150D;             margins and longitudinal stripes, close to 137A; venation,             similar to leaf surface coloration. Lower leaves, lower             surface: Centers, close to 145C to 145D; margins and             longitudinal stripes, close to 137A to 137B, venation,             similar to leaf surface coloration. Mid-plant leaves, upper             surface: Centers, close to 150D; margins and longitudinal             stripes, close to 137A; mid-leaf and towards the base,             tinted with close to 60C; venation, similar to leaf surface             coloration. Mid-plant leaves, lower surface: Centers, close             to 145C to 145D; margins and longitudinal stripes, close to             137A to 137B; venation, similar to leaf surface coloration.             Upper leaves, upper surface: Close to 60A to 60B; towards             the base, close to 157C to 157D; venation, similar to leaf             surface coloration. Upper leaves, lower surface: Close to             71B; towards the base, close to 156D; venation, similar to             leaf surface coloration. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence form.—Terminal flat-topped compact corymb             located inside the leaf rosette; about 62 flowers develop             per inflorescence.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about ten to twelve             weeks after planting; plants flower naturally during the             spring in Florida.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one day on             the plant; flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence length.—About 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 3.1 cm.         -   Flower size.—Length: About 3.8 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Narrowly elongate. Color: Close to 91C.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to NN155D; apical center, close to 91B;             towards the apical margins, close to 91C; apex, close to             90C. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             NN155D; towards the apex, close to 91D; apex, close to 90B.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per flower: One. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 9 mm.             Texture: Membraneous. Color: Close to 157D.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Three in a single whorl. Shape:             Oblanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 4 mm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Towards             the apex, close to 145A; mid-section, close to 145C; towards             the base, close to 157D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 cm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect. Texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Color: Close to NN155B.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Typically erect to somewhat             outward and curving upright. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to NN155D.         -   Stamens.—Quantity per flower: Six. Filament length: About             1.5 cm; partially adnate to the petals. Filament color:             Close to NN155D. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length:             About 4 mm. Anther color: Close to 158A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158A.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About             2.2 cm. Stigma shape: Oval, elongated. Stigma color: Close             to NN155B. Style length: About 1.3 cm. Style color: Close to             NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155B.         -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production have not been observed             on plants of the new Neoregelia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 2° C. to about     37° C. -   Interior & garden performance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have     been observed to have good postproduction longevity under interior     conditions and to have good garden performance. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Neoregelia have been     observed to be resistant to leaf spotting during periods of hot and     rainy weather. Resistance to pests and other pathogens common to     Neoregelia plants has not been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Neoregelia plant named ‘Mendoza’ as illustrated and described. 